Time Takes Its Toll On Us
by awilystar
Summary: “She doesn't love me. I would know if she loved me.” Time takes its toll on Booth, but his love for Brennan always remains. Booth/Brennan multichapter.


**Time Takes Its Toll On Us**

_Time takes its toll on us  
And it tries its best just to steal our love  
And we bend and we break but we don't give up  
Time takes its toll on us_

* * *

"Mmm, Seeley…" she moaned against his lips, head slamming back against the door.

At the sound of his given name, Booth pressed her further into the wood with his body, angling his mouth to deepen their kiss. He slid his tongue over hers, reveling in the taste of her as she responded just as eagerly. Her fingers were fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, and he shuddered as she explored the planes of his chest with searching fingertips. He was in too deep now, too far gone to take a moment to breathe, so he slid his hands beneath her thighs and carried her down the hall to her room, tossing her unceremoniously onto the bed.

Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, Booth shucked off his shirt and joined her. His lips sought hers again for another fiery kiss as he rolled her under him, thrusting his hips into the space she left between her legs. She groaned, arching against him, and he could feel her nipples hardening through her blouse and bra. He stripped her of both garments until she was bare from the waist up. In the moonlight filtering through the cracks in the blinds, she was long and lithe, skin dappled with shadows.

Beautiful.

"Thank you," she replied saucily, grinning. Apparently he'd said his last thought out loud. It was true, though, she was very beautiful. Dark, dark hair, offset by the palest skin he'd ever seen. Her bright blue eyes were shining with desire as she looked up at him, and he felt his cock twitch.

"Lose the pants," he murmured, voice gruff. Rising on his arms, he held his body away from hers long enough for her to shimmy out of her jeans. "Underwear, too," he commanded.

She answered him with a kiss, sliding her hands around his neck and pulling him back to her. Her nails were long and they scraped against his sensitive skin and down his shoulders as she held him tightly.

"Take a breath," she whispered, the words a gasp into his ear. "We have time. All night, in fact." Booth held back a groan as she unbuttoned his slacks, slipping her hand beneath his boxers to stroke him lightly. He allowed her to touch him, burying his head in her chest. When he took one rosy nipple into his mouth and bit down, she moaned and squirmed against him, pushing his pants and boxers down over his hips.

Kicking off the offending articles of clothing, he stripped her of her panties, reveling in the bare flesh revealed to him. Booth crawled back up on the bed to lie sideways, next to her, with his head propped up on his hand. He was appalled find that he was shaking, slight tremors running through him, when he reached out to run a fingertip down her body, between her breasts, ending with a swirl around her navel.

"Are you okay?" She stopped him, trapping his hand between hers and her stomach.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just…" he paused, swallowing. "It's been a while."

He was surprised when she abruptly pushed him away, moving to sit with her back against the headboard and drawing her knees into her chest. Watching her, he rolled flat onto his back, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Be honest with me?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll try."

She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Does she love you back?"

Booth sighed. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet. But he had promised to be honest, and so he answered her, struggling to keep his eyes on hers. "I don't know. Sometimes, I think… maybe… but…" His voice cracked, and he had to glance away, unable to bear the compassion, the empathy, on her face.

"Hey… look at me." Her palm was warm on his cheek as she turned his head toward her.

"No. She doesn't love me. I would know if she loved me." _Déjà vu. _

This was so unfair. He had, for the first time in over a year, a gorgeous, willing, _naked_ woman in his bed, and all he could think about was how he couldn't think of anything but _her. _

"You deserve the entire world, Seeley." She smiled, a small smile, and he melted into her understanding and forgiveness. "A big heart like yours needs to be loved back, or it will just wither away."

Her fingers stroked his face, over his brow and down around to his strong jaw. He could smell the subtle scent of her perfume on the pulse point of her wrist, and he closed his eyes as she cradled him between her hands. When she leaned down and delicately placed a kiss at the corner of his mouth, he leaned into her touch and caught her lips with his.

Booth kissed her with everything he had, with everything inside of him that he'd kept hidden, with every frustration, with every passion, with every ounce of love unrequited. She groaned as his hands slid into her hair, pulling at the black strands fervently. Crawling over him, she straddled his hips, pressing her center down hard onto his erection.

"Oh, _Jesus_," he grunted, releasing her hair to pinch her nipples roughly.

He thrust upward, their bare flesh slipping deliciously close together. Stealing his breath, she reached down between them and grasped his cock, stroking him from base to tip and running her thumb over the head lightly. Booth could feel the heat radiating from her, and he bit the inside of his cheek hard as she slipped him ever so slightly inside of her.

"Let me love your heart, Seeley. Let me love _you_."

At his nod and at the feeling of his hands grasping her hips, she sank down, enveloping him in her body completely. His jaw was tight, the muscles twitching as he tried to hold himself back, tried to keep some semblance of control. Seeing this, she leaned forward, pressing her breasts into his chest, and licked at his neck, sucking the skin there until it reddened beneath her lips.

"_Fuck_, you're incredible," he muttered, watching her move above him. "I'm not gonna last much longer."

He passed the pad of his thumb over her clit, once, twice, desperate to bring her to the peak with him, and then she was shaking, tightening around him and collapsing onto his chest in a boneless heap. She held him, running her hands up and down his arms, as he followed, emptying himself with a sigh of her name.

Their sweaty bodies cooled together, and he groped for the sheet to cover them. From where her head rested over his heart, he barely heard her quiet words.

"I know I'm not her, but maybe I'm good enough anyway."

"Catie," he said, smoothing her hair back so he could see her face. "I…"

"At least good enough for now."

There were many things he wanted to say to her, but he settled for, "Can I stay the night? Please."

She nodded, tucking her head under his chin, and he wrapped her tightly in his embrace, beginning to doze off.

A few moments later, in the pocket of his pants, discarded carelessly somewhere on the floor of her bedroom in their previous frenzy, his cell phone vibrated quietly, but the couple in the bed was sleepily unaware.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, don't hate me. In case you didn't catch it, Booth refers to the woman he's with as Catie, aka Dr. Catherine Klein. For those of you who follow spoilers, she is set to appear on the show as Booth's love interest. I took that idea and ran with it, I guess. I have plans for this to be a longer fic, assuming I can dedicate myself to finishing it. Don't worry, it will be Booth/Brennan, I promise. I just feel like Booth needs some love in his life. He deserves it, doesn't he? And who knows, maybe this will be the nudge Brennan needs to get her butt moving! Anyway, drop me a review and let me know what you think, any ideas, suggestions, etc. As always, any mistakes are my own. The title and lyrics at the beginning are from Bebo Norman's song, Time Takes Its Toll On Us. Beautiful song, check it out. Thanks!


End file.
